Sunday, June 24, 2007

The Rose Hill website

Regarding the Rose Hill internet project, it has this report, of stuff that has since happened:

"A grand opening event for the new Rose Hill Library computer center is scheduled for June 11, 2007. The public is invited to attend. The grand opening event festivities will begin at 11:45AM with live music provided by the Wilderness Road Dulcimer Club. Speakers will begin at 12:30PM, including presentations by U.S. Congressman Rick Boucher, Virginia Senator William Wampler, and Virginia Delegate Terry Kilgore. Executive Director of LENOWISCO Planning District Commission, Ron Flanary, reports, "The Connect Rose Hill project is part of regional, collaborative efforts to provide access to broadband Internet across southwest Virginia. We're very proud to be offering broadband service in western Lee County."

Construction of the new wing onto the Rose Hill Library is complete and now houses a 10-station computer center. The project collaborators include LENOWISCO, Sunset Digital Communications, Lee County, Lonesome Pine Regional Library, Appalachian Resources, LLC, Lane Engineering, and Pete Sumpter General Contractor, Inc. LENOWISCO contracted with Sunset Digital Communications, owned and operated by Jonesville resident Paul Elswick, to serve as the Internet service provider for the computer center. Sunset Digital Communications is a Virginia Interexchange Carrier Internet Service Provider that manages the LENOWISCO Rural Area Network - a high speed regional fiber optic network that provides services to the businesses and residents of Southwest Virginia. Lee County owns the Rose Hill Library building and Lonesome Pine Regional Library manages the Rose Hill Library. A Lee County-based firm, Pete Sumpter General Contractor, Inc., completed the construction of the library wing. Lane Engineering prepared the architectural design and engineering services for the library wing construction project. Bobby R. Lane of Lane Engineering stated, "The construction of the library wing was a smooth project, staying within budget and on-time. We enjoyed helping to create such a wonderful facility in western Lee County."

The new computer center will provide free access to high speed Internet and offer free computer and Internet training workshops. Amy Bond, Executive Director of Lonesome Pine Regional Library reports, "Effective June 11, 2007, when the Rose Hill Library's new computer center opens, we will expand the library's operating hours to 40 hours each week, including some evening and weekend hours. Accordingly, the Rose Hill Library will be open as follows: Mondays and Fridays from 8:30AM to 5:00PM, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30AM to 8:00PM, Wednesdays from 8:00AM to noon, and Saturdays from 10:00AM to 2:00PM."

Free computer and Internet training workshops will be provided in the new computer center beginning in June. Workshops will be typically scheduled for Monday mornings at 10:00AM and Thursday evenings at 6:00PM. Workshops scheduled for June and July include Computer Basics, Internet Basics, E-Mail Basics, Basic Keyboarding, Using the Mouse, Microsoft Word 2003, and Digital Photo. The first workshop, Computer Basics, will be held on June 14, 2007 at 6:00PM.

In addition, a Rose Hill website will be launched in June on the Internet at www.rosehillvirginia.org. LENOWISCO has contracted with Appalachian Resources, LLC, a Rose Hill-based consulting firm, to develop and maintain the new Rose Hill community website. Joan Porter, Manager of Appalachian Resources, LLC explains, "The Rose Hill website will include local photos, business directory, church directory, area attractions, and an interactive Rose Hill blog."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service's Community Connect Broadband Program is providing the primary financial support to LENOWISCO for the "Connect Rose Hill" project. The USDA Community Connect grant is providing $506,048 for the "Connect Rose Hill" project. Additional funding for the project and other regional broadband expansion is being provided by the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Revitalization Commission. The C. Bascom Slemp Foundation, Lee County, and Lee County Community Foundation provided further financial support for the Rose Hill Library project."